38 rJ"'y. 



own particular desire was to see alive the pretty Agrotera nemoralis ; and, thanks to- 

 Mr. Tug well, who knew the ground well, we were each enabled to take a series, though it 

 was evidently very scarce compared with last year. Amongst the other species taken 

 or observed, were the following : of Diurni, Argynnis Euphrosyne and Selene, in 

 great abundance ; plenty of hibernated Qonepteryx rhamni ; SyricMhus alveolus 

 was common in woods, as was also Lyccena Adonis on the cliffs at Eastbourne ; 

 Vanessa polyckloros, lo, and cardui, with others, occurred less commonly. Of the 

 Bombyces, Lithosia aureola and Chelonia plantaginis were common, and Nola 

 cristulalis, Chelonia villica, Orgyia pudibiinda, and others, were taken, as were also 

 Lithosia quadra (?), Paecilocampa populi, Lasiocampa quercifolia, &c., in the larval 

 state. GeometrcR were numerous, and included, in more or less plenty, Epione 

 advenaria, Venilia manilata, Tephrosia consonaria and punctulata, Ephyra porata, 

 omicronaria, orbicularia, and penduJaria, Acidalia subsericeata, Coremia temerata, 

 Strenia clathrata, Numeria pulveraria, Fidonia atomaria {jcrj much larger, and the 

 ? qviite different in colour to northern s\yQc'vcaeYLs) , Aspilates sirigillaria, Emmelesia 

 affinitata, Eupithecia plumbeolata and dodoneata, Lobophora heocapterata, Melanippe 

 hastata, Coremia ferrugai a, Eubolia lineolata, Anaitisplagiata, &c., &c. Plaiypteryx 

 lacertula, falcula, and hamula, represented their genus. 



Owing to the almost complete failure of sugar (probably because of the cold, 

 clear moonlight nights), but few Noctiue were taken ; but those that did occur in- 

 cluded Cymatophora fiamcornis (larva), Acronycta leporina, auricoma, and aceris, 

 Xylophasia rurea (var. combusta), Apainea unanimis, Taniocampa miniosa (larvae on 

 oak) and cruda (larva), Tethea retusa, larva? on sallow, along with those of Epunda 

 viminalis, Agriopis aprilina (larva), Hadena genistm, Erastria fmcula, Amphipyra 

 pyramidea, Phytometra anea, &c., &c. 



Serminia barbalis was a most abundant representative of the Deltoides ; and 

 the Pyrales included (besides nemoralis) Pyratista osirinalis, Herbula cespitalis, 

 Ennychia octomaculalis, Botys flavalis and fmcalis, &c. The Crambites were 

 evidently not well out, as Crambus chrysonuchellus was the only species taken worth 

 notice. We had no time to work specially for larva-, or no doubt the list woidd 

 have been greatly increased. — Geo. T. Poreitt, Huddorsfield : June 9ih, 1876. 



Oelechia humeralis not uncommon in Perthshire. — Lately I received, in a box 

 of insects for determination, from Sir Tiiomas Moncrciffe, five specimens of that 

 variable c.pecies, Oelechia humeralis. Some of these specimens were so fine that I 

 imagined they must have been taken before hibernation, and I therefore wrote at 

 once for details, in hopes there might, perhaps, be some clue to the food of the larva 

 of this insect. 



Sir Thomas Moncreiffc replied : " The insect is very plentifid here. I have 

 " beaten it off every tree in the place, and it hibernates in numbers, in the thatch of 

 " an old sunmier house in my garden, appearing every fine winter's evening at dusk." 



In a subsequent letter, he wrote : " I am afraid that I have no clue to the larval 

 " history of G. humeralis. Personally, I have either beat it off various trees, taken 

 " it in the neighbourhood of old thatch, or on the wing, but never on low plants or 

 " near the ground. I have taken it from August 10th to May 2nd. I have beat it 

 " off oak, birch, sycamore, poplar, &c., and it hibernates freely in the thatch (reed) 

 " of an old summer-house, and flies in winter and early spring at the Cupressi, along 

 "• with tlie DepressaricB. Of the five specimeus I sent you " (and which Sir Thomas 



